


Celeras

by Malare



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/M, Modern Girl in Middle Earth, Romance, Slow Romance, maybe smaug, searching for the silmarils
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-20
Updated: 2015-10-09
Packaged: 2018-04-10 08:43:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4385186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malare/pseuds/Malare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after the events of the war of the ring. Middel Earth is in peace...for the first impression.<br/>Charlottes walks into middle earth, drawn by a unknown mission and will that she has to encounter. she ends up in rivendell, where she figured out she is not the only earthly human. The council of Elronds gathers and then she meets him: the most arrogant and down-looking on every being with a limited life span. Enchanted by his cold eyes but repelled by what she knows about him and his cold aura, destiny has another fate for them and especially for her.<br/>Can she go on "intercultural communication" mode between the elves and dwarfs?<br/>why are shadows strolling around in middle earth and why gather orcs at old evil places?<br/>What is this for a shadow going around middle earth as if it searches something and someone?<br/>I hope this will not get to mary-sue-ish.</p><p>Mature rating just for safety reasons :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One (In where Charlotte is introduced and how she felt into middle earth)

Charlotte was one of those middle earth admiring girls that read the books and history and was having a pretty good knowledge of the geography. She would never ever have guessed that this could one day help and safe her. Working as an Archaeologist and Illustrator she liked everything with at least more than a few hundred years on the scale. Even so the long history of middle earth was just fictional she really loved the way how the places aged and changed and things happened here and there in the first and second age that you still can see in the 3rd age. this made her heart excited somehow and she always dreamed about how it would be to visit Nargothrond and explore its empty halls, to take a stroll around the ruins of Gondolin or wander around the birch woods. She loved the woods but could never endure long enough the call of the sea. Born in a coast town where you have plenty of time to dig your mind in books, she was sitting at her working desk, drawing the artifacts her team brought to light during the last weeks. A few shards of middle age kitchen pottery and parts of one or two necklaces. She was listening to music while her bright blue-green eyes were catching every small detail of decoration. Deep in focusing she didn`t noticed that her co-worker was behind her, putting a cup of tea on a free spot. Startled a little she gasped, pen holding in the air and checking if she drew a wrong line. “Jonathan you did it again! I told you to announce your arrival somehow when I am drawing. You know that.” Charlotte looked angry at Jonathan, but the angry look was never hers and Jonathan always said that she looked like a squirrel, trying to set the nut free it stuck by itself between branches. True story!

“I`m a little bit sorry, but well my good Charlotte, if you wouldn`t escape in your alternate reality in your head I wouldn`t need to announce my presence,” he said with a smile, taking a sip from his mug.

“You know better than anyone that my imagination is great and even a few shards let me feel the pass of time and giving me glimpse and thoughts of how it could have been or how the people were, what they have experienced and may have felt. It always is like I could really feel a connection just by touching an artifact or the blank stone on which they walked. And it feels really heavy.” She looked at him but she knew that he knew what she was talking about. Jonathan knew better than anyone how strong her empathy for the past was. Charlotte took as well a sip from her mug and folded her hands around it. Her fingers always got cold after a while. That’s why Jonathan once gave her fingerless gloves just for drawing, so that she could still hold the pens.

“It´s late already. We should drive home. The heater is also already turned off.” For reducing the running costs the university kindly turned of all heaters after 9 pm. Most of the nightowl-type workers helped themselves out with blankets, sports jackets or tea, but tonight it was also rainy and a cold wind blew from the sea.

“Yeah you`re right. I`m just going to finish this one here and then i`ll go home. What about you?”

“Well” still sipping his tea “I thought we could have a few bedtime sweets and drinking wine you know…” he said with a smirk on his face.

“Ah not today Jon.” Thou she would like to. Wine after work was always great…with or without Jonathan, but tonight she just wanted to relax in her bed. She had been on a conference the last two days and just came back in the morning and hadn´t had been home yet. “Next time, I promise, but today I am not in the mood and a little bit exhausted from the last days” she excused with a smile.

“No chance to change your mind?”

She shook her head.

Jonathan signed. “Ok then don`t work to long. it`s getting really un-nice outside” He patted her head and said good night. Charlotte wished him also a good night and waved her mug at him. “See you tomorrow and thanks for the tea.”

Before she went on she took a mouthful of tea and then put the mug on a nearby desk. From the corridor she could hear Jonathan say Bye again and after a few seconds a squeaking noise told her that Jon was going home by his old bike and she was left alone. Ah now she understood his wine-bedtime sweet invitation: The poor guy was driving home in the heavy rain and she was here by car…Sorry Jonathan. But no time for feeling guilty! Back to work!

Only a few lines were left so after half an hour Charlotte was finished and made notes for the next day. She grabbed her rain jacket and backpack and got out to the car. When she stepped outside and zipped her jacket she now felt guilty letting Jonathan driving home on a bike. The weather was just awful.

She went to her car and threw her things on the co-driver`s seat. The windscreen wiper tried their best but the rain just looked now like a silver curtain. Swearing about the weather Charlotte left the parking space and turned onto the street. She didn`t lived directly in the town but in a nearby village. 10 minute drive normally but under those circumstances it took her already 20 minutes to reach the country road. It was harvest time and the road was muddy from the tractor wheels. Her car slipped a bit and made her backpack fell over the seat and her Ipad fell out of it and under her feet. “ _Ah shit_!”

Charlotte tried to slow down. Holding with one hand the wheel and trying to fumble for the ipad with her other hand she shortly looked down if she could see it and then it happened. Wheels squiecked, Charlotte tried to countersteer but the road was to wet and with a dull boom she ended up I the roadside ditch. “ _Oh shit! Shitshitshit! Wonderful_!” She had known that this would happen! Really really fantastic! “This is a joke right?! Oh come on Charlotte!” The car got just stuck in the ditch and Charlotte tried to get rid of the airbag that just popped up. Now she felt really really sorry for not having accepted Jonathan`s invitation. Maybe this here was the direct carma for not getting the hint and driving him home. _Your`re such a bad person Charlotte that the equivalent from Jonathan`s wet home driving is you ending up at the roadside. Wonderful!_

Finally putting the reason for her misery back in her bag she search for her phone and dialed her car insurance for towing the car.

No signal.

Charlotte stared at the screen. “ _oh how wonderful! It is getting better and better_.” She looked outside. The rain still the same and she couldn`t see anything. Only blackness but she thought that she couldn`t be to far away from home so she decided to walk home. Staying in the car when the village couldn`t be farer away more than 3 miles seemed ridiculous to her. So she grabbed her things, switched the red alert lights on, pulled the hood from her jacket down and got out of the car.

The rain felt down on her and she couldn`t even look up without getting a wet face. _Jonathan would laugh at me tomorrow_ she thought. Startin’ to walk along the street she really hoped that it wouldn`t be more than 3 miles ‘cause she couldn`t see any lights. _Charlotte girl it could have been worse. Be happy that you put on your sneakers immediately when the conference was over. Ballerinas would have been out of place right now._ The ground got muddier and muddier and she started to wonder why the farmers hadn`t cleaned the streets afterwards. She barley couldn`t see anymore the asphalt of the street. Just grass and mud e-very-where. Her shoes began to soak through after a short time. Wonderful day! Charlotte stopped and looked back. Maybe staying in the car wouldn`t be so bad. The rain was awful, it was cold and her socks seemed to be wet. Well the only good thing was that her rain jacket worked perfectly. Charlotte had just bought it a couple of weeks ago and wasn`t so sure about it…till now.

Charlotte looked back and startled. Where was the car!? She switch the lights on, didn`t she? She ran back a little but it was no help. Nothing. _May be the battery is empty or broken…_ then the heater wouldn`t work either and it would become a very fucking cold night in the car. No thank you. She checked her phone again, still no signal, turned around and continued her first plan. _“May be I will be in the newspaper tomorrow. Car found at the roadside. Owner nowhere to be seen,”_ she said to herself. The rain seemed to fall a bit more slightly but in addition fog came up and she could swear that she had walked already 2 miles but no lights anywhere. That made her goosebumps, and the cold too. Charlotte recognized to late that the asphalt was as well gone when she stepped in to a puddle of mud. “ _Yak”_ She pulled her foot out just to step into another one. “ _Perfect!”_


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Charlotte arrives in Middle Earth

Charlotte couldn`t remember there was anything swamp like around her home. The rain as well…ok it was really raining waterfalls…couldn`t have caused the fields to flood and run over the street. That was really hard to imagine. She walked on in the direction where she guessed laid normally her village and she knew her orientation skills were not so bad, but the fog was really thick and she could only see 50 m ahead. Avoiding the most muddy parts on her way…well her shoes were wet as hell but she was really kind of afraid getting stuck into the mud…she checked her phone a couple of times and even holding in into the air to catch a signal somehow, but no response. _This night will be really funny_ she thought. And the other funny thing was: she couldn`t hear anything. It was so damn quiet. The rain was only a hush but the fog seemed to swallow all noises. No cars, no birds, not any sign of anything! Nature really sucks sometimes !

After a couple of moments she began to worry. It was really dark now and she used her phone as a light. Resting and waiting until the morning comes would just be really nice but it was out of question. Everywhere mud and water puddles, no dry place to rest and she really began to become tired. At least the rain had stopped. _It´s helpless_ she thought _, and I can`t rest anywhere so I just have to walk the whole night and will just be sick tomorrow and definitely not! going! To! work_.

Then the fog began to vanish and the sky opened to a bright silvery moon light. Stars were glimmering like crystals and a small “ _aww_ ” escaped her mouth. It was a really beautiful night sky and thanks to the moonlight she was able to see more of her surroundings. It seemed that she was in kind of a marsh land. Well the coast was really near to where she lived but then she would have been wandering around for about 20 km and that was not possible. A couple of miles away there was a silver band to be seen. It looked like a river band but …there was no river where she lived…

 _“Where the hell am I?”_ Charlotte said and graped her head in confusion. She looked around. A few trees were here and there and in the far distance, black against the night sky, were mountains. “ _Mou…mountains!?!??!”_ Charlotte could just stare in disbelieve. Her head began to spin and she felt her heart beat raise. _This can`t be true. Maybe I hurt my head in the car crash. Yeah that had it to be! I hurt my head and I am just dreaming or in koma or something. Something that explains this here!_ Charlotte`s eyes scanned the area. Definitly no signs of civilization. And even if she thought about it….the stars positions looked strange and very unfamiliar. Even the moon didn`t looked right. It was to smooth, to bright, the craters didn`t looked like a man in the moon or a rabbit making mochi (*Japanese legend). It had to be a dream! So she did what most people in those situations do: she grabed her arm and pinched herself. “ _Ouch! That hurt!”_ But neither did she wake up nor wasn`t she really convinced that it would prove her mental awareness for things to be true. “ _Well shit_ ” she said to herself “ _even if this is just a dream, it is f******* cold and I am tired_ ”.

Charlotte rubbed her arms and looked around and decided that, first of all, finding a place to rest would be the best and then she could think about what to do. Wait, wasn`t there a river? Heading to the mountains wouldn`t be wise as it looked farer away. On the other hand she couldn`t see an end of the marsh area in this direction. Maybe the river would at least lead to or pass thru a village and then she could ask for the way. But actually it also looked like, as much as she could tell, that these marshes end at the river and there were wide fields and hills: a dry place. “ _ok, than this way!”_ and she went on with her staggering way in the marshes.

While she tried to step on the grassy parts as most as she could, she noticed a bunch of white clusters popping up here and there. She first thought this would be stones but when she came nearer a few suddenly moved and she gasped. “ _oh my gosh, that was really unexpected_.” Those white things weren`t stones but swans. A freaking lot of swans sleeping in their nests and awoke due to her presence. A few gaggled at her but seemed to be unimpressed or didn`t sense any danger from her. They just stared. “Nice swans, nice swani`s” Charlotte said, holding her hands up to calm them…and mostly herself down and backed up a little. She hasn`t had a great encounter with swans in her childhood, but those here luckily seemed just to prefer to stare at her and go on with sleeping.  
_Maybe they`re used to humans_ she thought, _and that means I am on the right way, near to somewhere where people are. Ah what a relieve!_ She thanked the swans and cheered up a little. With new hope she made her way around the nests and finally reached the river. It was floating quite still for a river of such a big size, but that mostly meant that it was really deep.

In the dime moonlight there was so sign for a village or hut. Should she turn left or right now? Downstream or upstream?

Behind her a few swans made as well their way to the river. Still suspicious as Charlotte was, she looked at them. Suddenly they stopped, and looked at her as well. Wondering what that was supposed to mean they quacked and flapped with their wings. “ _oh, no, shoo shoo, don`t bite me_ ” but they didn`t even seem to pay attention. The swan at the front looked at her a last time and then it went on with the others to the river. There they swam to the middle where the moonlight reflected on the rivers surface and one by one took off. Charlotte could just wonder what that meant but something inside her told her to follow the swans and so she went upstream. The whole landscape laid very peaceful, only a few insects were chirping and the sound of the river accompanied the song. Fireflies began to dance in the air carried by a light night breeze. The swans vanished in the night sky but Charlotte kept the direction. She was quite sure she wasn`t at home anymore. For a second she even nearly didn`t care that anything didn`t fit with her memories as she got enchanted by the nature around her. Here and there grew birch tree at the river side along with feather grass upon which a few fireflies landed and seesawed. But she felt she couldn`t walk the whole night as she began to feel more tired and thirsty. Solving this she grabbed her pet bottle and took a sip. Well it wasn`t really much left because she already used the bottle the whole day. Her other need was more a problem. Should she just sleep outside? The weather wasn`t a problem anymore and she wore her rain jacket which would keep her warm a while. The other problem was that the river parted where she stood. A silvery looking river joint with another one, which seemed to have a stronger current. She was puzzled in which direction the swans had flown since they flew quickly out of sign. But as long as she couldn`t cross the river she would have to stay on this site.

 _I should really make a rest and see what the morning brings_ , she thought, but actually as bright as the moonlight was she was still worried that she would just pass a village or something and not see it. So she decided to lay down at the next trees near the river and as she found a dry place she put her rucksack behind her to make it a little bit more comfy. Charlotte just hoped that no one would find her sleeping and having an urge to rape her, but better to put her pocketknife in her jacket pocket, just in case. And like this lulled to sleep by the river and the dancing fireflies she soon felt asleep.

*****

Charlotte awoke from a strange noise. Voices were talking in a distance very harshly. Charlotte couldn`t first recall where she was and what had happened. Dizzy from the sleep she rubbed her eyes and remembered everything with a moan “ _oh, ah, yes I got lost, right_ ” and then she heard again the reason why she had awoke. It was dawn and fog laid over the river and the grass fields so she wasn`t able to see quite clear but she saw schemes coming in her direction along the river band. “Oh People! Finally I am saved!” She quickly stood up and ran shouting “hello, can you help me?” and waving her hands to the others. Those of course noticed her. It was a group of four, standing still by her sudden appearance and talking to each other in a strange language that sounded like someone trying to swallow and spitting out at the same time. Well is sounded not much like talking as the tone sounded more like arguing and they even began to shout and pointing with swords and axes in her direction. _Wait! Swords?_ Charlotte stopped, confused by what she saw, and even for LARP it was to early in the morning (or they were playing really serious). But that made the others scream with beastlike voices and they began to ran towards her. Charlotte didn`t needed a second to think. She turned around and ran. Her backpack bumping on her back she just run away hoping that those strange guys would just getting bored chasing her. She wished now she would have had the discipline going Jogging three times a week.

“ _Guys I don`t now what you`re up to_ ” she turned her head while running “ _but can`t we just talk about it_?... _oh OH MY GOSH_ ” She wished she hadn`t offered anything. The strange guys were really fast and unfortunately pacing nearer and nearer. She took a glimpse of their faces but that made her just more startled. It were the most strange deformed faces she had ever seen. As they saw her shocked face and running faster they started to yell louder and cheering like if the enjoyed chasing her.

Charlotte could feel her heart bumping heavily in her chest and her lunges already burned. Suddenly she noticed in the slowly approaching morning light a couple of rocks and trees on the other river side. The sound of the river seemed to fool her in the night. The stronger current she believed to hear was just the sound of the water floating around stones. It was a very smooth river and there were herons fishing in the water. But she hadn`t had time to appreciate the nice scenery. Her plan was to cross the river and then try to hide. So she turned left and as she did it an arrow stroke her right shoulder and she stumbled into by the sudden pain. Charlotte examined her shoulder. The cut wasn`t deep, but blood ran out and she looked shocked and angry to her followers.

“ _Are you assholes stupid!??!?! You could have killed me!!!!!”_ she shouted, and cackle and throatily laugher were the answers. The water was very icy and she got up quickly. Her followers made it as well to the river but seemed uncertain if they should cross it. One of them was looking at the river and telling the others something while he gestured with his sword towards her.

Then the biggest and ugliest of them spoke with the most guttural and disgusting voice she had ever heard: “Common kid, you know you can`t escape us.” Charlotte went a few steps backwards. “ _Are you f****** kidding me!?!?_ ” She screamed “ _Who on earth shoots arrows on people!?!!? I will call the police!!!_ ” She just could hope that a little threatening would be enough and she pulled her mobile phone out of her pocket and hold it in her hand so that the others could see it. But they weren`t really impressed, more got they interest in the shiny thing she was holding.

“ _Oh, not only looks it really delicious but it also seems to carry a few nice things_ ” the big guy said again.

Charlotte starred at them, not knowing what to do and scared what could happen. She wanted to turn away, her instinct forcing her to run away. “ _don’t run_ ” said one of the others and draw his bow “ _flesh tastes better when its fresh_ ” he smirked at her and all began to cross the river. And with this she ran, towards the other river site. On the other site grew a few high bushes and behind them a forest began. A little chance to find a hideout or just to get rid of her followers. An arrow flew in to the water and missed her leg just inches. She reached the bushes and looked back hastily, just to see her followers had stopped and were looking around nervously. The water lever seemed to increase and flowing more stronger around the stones, but she didn`t saw it anymore thou she was already into the woods.

Suddenly there were screams crushing thru the air and she stopped running. They came from the same direction as she had been running. She could hear the loud of water, bruising everything in its way away and made woods crack. Then as sudden as it appeared it was gone and totally silent. She heard nothing except her heart beat and her blood rushing in her ears. No sign of her followers. Curios what had happened and feeling that the danger was over she wanted to go back to the river as it was her only orientation point so far. But something was wrong, totally wrong. Where the arrow had brushed her she felt a pulsing and the rushing blood in her ears seemed to increase. The world arround her began to blur. She tried to steady herself at a tree trunk but her legs got weak and the last thing she could remember was that she stumbled and nearly felt. Out of nowhere arms catched her and someone said something to her. “Telin le thaed." The words sounded like honey and guided her to a dreamless sleep. She felt a soft and kind presence beside her and she felt the warmth of sunlight on her skin. But it couldn`t stop the poison, and it began to pull her into the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> long intro is over :D now the fun begins. next is rivendell


	3. Rivendell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte awakes in Rivendell and is wondering what happens around her.  
> Are the people just pretty good actors, or is she insane? or even lying in a coma and she is just dreaming everything? But if it`s a dream, her imagination was doing a great job on imagine handsome elves and wonderful scenery.

Chapter 3 (Where Charlotte arrives in Rivendell)

While other elves were watching the area searching for orcs, Glorfindel and Erestor hurried to the strange looking girl.

“ _Quick! We have to bring her to Lord Elrond until it is too late_.” Glorfindel lifted her up and called for Asfaloth.

“ _We shouldn`t interfere the humans anymore. Don`t you see her clothes? She`s not from here and I have never seen such a robe and garment before._ ” Erestor said while he touched her jacket.

“ _At least it`s her fault that she was attacked by orcs. What is a girl doing, travelling alone?_ ” he said in a slightly arrogant tone and looked down on Charlottes face while he helped Glorfindel sating up with her on his horse.

“ _It`s not her fault if orcs are crossing easily our boarders Erestor! I have to hurry, her body is getting weaker and weaker. Noro lim, noro lim, Asfaloth_!“ He crossed the river and as fast as they could they rode to Rivendell.

*****

Birds chirped in a bush in front of the window. Warm and bright sunlight glittered through the air were small insects and other particles floated around. Bees hummed and the nearby waterfalls gave rushed in the background. A warm breath of air stroke Charlottes face. The bed felt so soft and cozy, and the air smelled so fresh with a scent of lavender and myrrh. And was there also cinnamon? She took a deep breath. It smelled sooooooooo good.

Clothes rattled behind her and steps came to her side. She slowly opened her eyes and stretched herself a little. _UH! Bad idea!_ Charlotte hissed, and cringed due to the flash of blinding pain that ran down her left shoulder. A slight feeling of nausea arose but she was able to ignore it. Her limbs felt a bit numb, but her head compensated all. It felt like someone had put a lot of stones on it. It felt heavier than normal and she wasn`t able to hold her head upright. She felt that her tongue was a little bit swollen and felt heavy and like cardboard.

“ _Here drink this, but slow_ ly” the kind voice of a woman spoke to her and lifted her head up a bit with her hand so that Charlotte could drink. After drinking a few sips she sank back to the pillows, feeling exhausted and tired although she had slept already. She opened her eyes anew, blinking and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Then she held still. _Oh noooo! Oh no no no!_ she thought. Slowly, very slowly her memories came back. With hands in front of her face she went quiet, recapitulating what had happened.

_So, it wasn´t a dream?_

She put her hands away, staring at the ceiling. _“Oh god! what?! What had just happened?”_ Believing and realizing that something was not right for the first time was already not so easy, but thinking about all over again wasn`t much easier.

“ _I am sorry, for I cannot answer your question._ ” Said a female voice, and that was the time when Charlotte finally realized that there was someone else in the room.

Beside her bed stood a tall and slim young woman, with a face so clear and smooth, you could really see how it was shining with health and life. She was wearing a long beautiful apricot silk dress with a matching shimmering cape around her shoulders. Her brown hair cascaded from her head, braided at her temples and revealed her pointy ears.

Charlottes eyes widened. Pointy ears? She shook her head, but there were still there. No mistake, the woman looked perfectly like an elven Cosplayer or Larper. She must have been really fallen into a Larp event area by accident and was now interrupting the play or something. But then she needed to advice the people to put up something like signs around the playground. And definitely NOT shooting arrows on strangers!!!!

“ _I am so sorry_ ” she started “ _I wasn`t meant to interrupt your Larp holiday or whatever, but I really would like to talk to the guy who shoot me with the arrow! Such a f**** asshole! How dare he is shooting people with REAL arrows_ ” she slowly became more upset with every word “ _Did you know that? Or are you really using real weapons? How are your insurance policies covering things like that when something is happening!_?” And she really hope that they would have a good policy, cause HER policy would really like to talk to them.

The woman looked at her bewildered. “ _I do not understand_.”

“ _What do you mean you do not understand? Where is the person responsible? And where am I? I need to make a call!_ ”

Is she just playing clueless or doesn`t she really know what had happened, Charlotte thought.

“ _You are safe now. You`re in the house of Lord Elrond in Rivendell._ ” How could the woman stay so calm while she was so blustered!?!?!? “ _So this is a Lord of the rings themed Larp? Wow then you`re really fond of details. That’s great, but where are we really?_ ”

The woman thought a few seconds and then said “ _This is Middle earth and we are at the edge of the misty mountains. Erestor assumed that you are not from here. Did you travel a long way_?” The woman sat down on the bed and touched Charlotte’s forehead as if to measure fever. She seemed really worried and concerned Charlotte noticed. May be the woman and all the others were just to deep in their roles. Good for them, bad for her.

To calm herself down she breathed slowly in and out. This made no sense, may be another tactic would be better: “ _ok, fine, what is your name and what had happened_?”

The woman smiled. “ _My name is Merilin and I am here to take care of you. You have been sleeping for three days. Lord Elrond healed you and removed the poison out of your body. You may still feel a little weak, but it won`t last long_.”

Someone knocked at the door. The elf woman walked to the door and opened it. Then entered one of the most noble and handsome looking man she had ever seen before. His charisma wiped in before she could even pay attention to the rest. He acted to confident, so calm and so radiant that his presence occupied the room. His figure emphasized it even more. He was tall and graceful, and he wore a blue-silver robe with a cape and a silver circlet on his head. Dark-brown hair felt long from his shoulders and framed his face. Nothing even came close to compare to it how his faced looked. It was resembling neither old nor young, Charlotte wasn`t able to say how old he could have been. He looked like something between 30 and 45, but his starlight grey eyes seemed to proof it all wrong. One could see in his face the memories and experiences of thousands of years, of many ages and many lives, but nothing left a mark on him. Only a slight glance of sorrow was in his kind eyes when he approached Charlotte and wished her a good day. “ _or should I say Good morning, as it depends on the point of view?_ ”

“ _Good…Good morning_ ” Charlotte stuttered and made an attempt to get up from her bed. They were REALLY fond of details and their roles!!! And OMG was he having nice hair!

“ _Please, there is no need for you to get up. Spare yourself and rest as long as you need to recover. I am Lord Elrond of Rivendell and I welcome you here in my home_.”

OMG this guy plays Elrond!? He looks a lot alike the movie actor and he`s nice too, Charlotte thought. What for a pity, a dedicated Larper wasn`t really not what she needed now. But she really felt dizzy, so she stayed in bed and made her complaint from there: “ _Yeah, Rivendell, I already was informed about my….whereabouts_ ” she said bitterly.

Despite the good looking man it was really hard for her not to be too upset. People that didn`t know when the fun was over annoyed here, but to manage a little bit politeness, more than something between a smirk and a bitterly smile was all she could produce at the moment.

“ _I thank you for taking care of me, but it seems that I ended up here by accident and I should go home soon. People will miss me and at least I should make a call. Unfortunately my phone has no connection here, so it really would be nice if you could lend me yours_.” While she spoke she rubbed her arm. It felt a little numb and there was a throbbing pain where the arrow had stroked her. Whatever was on that arrow, they just should hope that she would suffer no lasting harm!

“ _I do not really understand what you mean by “phone” and “make a call” but if you need assistance we will help you to find your way home. You seem lost to me and judging by your clothes you are not a woman of Rohan nor Gondor nor any other region I know. Even the Harradrim have other clothings. Where do you come from?_ ” Elrond looked at her with fatherly eyes, his hands placed behind the back.

But despite his nice and polite words Charlotte couldn`t resist, she made a face palm. “ _OK, you too. Well, see…I am really really sorry for disturbing your role play weekend, but could you all just be normal for a minute and tell me where I really am? I can`t be so far away from my house. I Just walked a few miles,...maybe 17 or so, but not more._ ”

“Role…play…weekend?” Elrond spoke, testing every syllable if there was a secret meaning hiding in them.

“ _Yeah, you know, you, this here_ “ she made a gesture with her healthy arm “ _and those stupid orc guys. Where they on drugs? How stupid can someone be shooting arrows on a person!?!?!_?” It was so frustrating, and judging by the faces of Elrond and Merilin they were either pretty good actors or confused as she was.

Elrond looked questioning to Merilin. “ _She is speaking strange since she woke up. I don`t know what she is talking about_.”

Elrond thought for a while and then asked her about her name and what had happened while he sat down on a nearby chair.

“ _My name is Charlotte_ ” she started and then told them what had happened and how she got there, except the part that the swans had guided here somehow. That sounded to stupid even in her ears.

“ _That sounds much like the Nin-in-Eilph, the Swanfleet in the common tongue, but there is no settlement near it, nor do I understand the term “car accident”_.”

“ _Yes, car accident….you know, a car, those metal chariots that…_ ” she stopped, put her head on her knees and sighed. “ _ok maybe my head got injured, maybe I am really hallucinating, otherwise I can’t explain all this here. I give up._ ” It was senseless. Those two were too deep in their roles or really not knowing what she was talking about. She still couldn`t come up with a better explanation than it was all just a dream, caused by a head injury. Too many strange things had happened.

“I _f you`re worried about your health, I can put your mind at ease: you have no injuries other than your wounded shoulder. We gave you medicine and herbs drew the poison out of your blood_.” Elrond nodded to a cabinet beside the bed where a bowl with cloths and dark green long leaf stood.

“ _We were worried if it was not to late yet, but you woke up and seem to be very lively._ ” He smiled. Charlottes took a long breath and looked in his eyes “ _And I thank you therefore very much_.”

“ _But you still didn`t tell us where you come from_.”

Charlotte signed again “ _I am living near Canterburry……England……Earth. I hope that sounds familiar to you._ ”

“ _I regret, I have never heard of such a place, and such a place does not exist in Middle Earth_.”

“ _So, Middle Earth it is then._ ” And until I really wake up so it shall be, she added in her mind.

Another knock at the door and an elf maiden stepped in, carrying a tablet with a delicate carafe and a cup. She placed it on the cabinet and went out again.

“ _I think it is the best if we talk again tomorrow. Your recovery has priority and then we can discuss what to do with you and how we can help you_.” A worry began to rise in Elrond that things concerning her wouldn`t be easy. And he was also worried for his gift of foresight hadn`t announced her or given any other hint of her appearing. He remembered that this had happened before a few decades once before, but back then his foresight and also Cirdan`s even greater gift of foresight had announced the happening, even if it was encrypted. But this time Cirdan hadn`t sent Galdor…

The room began to fill with the scent of the tea that was in the cup. A very strong – it had to be medicine Charlotte thought – scent, but there was also honey and something between myrrh and hops in it. Merilin gave Charlotte the cup and requested her to drink. “ _To ease your mind a bit and you also need a little bit more sleep to gain new strength you should drink this tea. It will help you to calm down and to sleep._ ” Elrond said.

“ _Thank you. Actually I am not feeling so well._ “ What had mum always said? Don´t drink or eat things that strangers gave you! But something inside her told her that she didn`t needed to fear any harm from this people.

She drank a bit, luckily it tasted just like honey, and leaned back into the pillows. Sleep came fast, faster than she thought. Elrond and Merilin stood up. “ _Good night and rest well. Baren bar lin_.” Elrond said. Charlotte tried to answer but she could only babble and was already sleeping seconds later.

As Elrond and Merilin left the room, Merilin said worried: “ _My Lord…she mentioned something like The Lord of the Rings,”_ and Elrond stopped, his eye browns narrowed.

“ _Don´t mention this to anyone. I will sent out a messenger. This situation is way too familiar and an old friend would be very interested in the girl_.”

***

On the next day Charlotte awoke with Merilin waiting by her site and reading a book.

“ _Good morning Miss Charlotte, are you feeling better?_ ”

“ _Yes, much better, thank you_.” The nausea and the muscle pain was gone, only her arm hurt still a little bit.

Merilin stood up and opened the sideboard behind her. “ _I washed the clothes you were wearing. They are inside here and your bag is there_ ” she pointed to the rucksack, placed on a chair beside the sideboard. “ _There are a few robes in the wardrobe, but it may happen that they won`t fit properly_ ” and glanced at her breasts, what Charlotte didn`t missed. If this was really LOTRingish elvish here, she guessed that most people here would be flat chested, slim and looking like super models. “ _We shall later visit the seamstress and order clothes for you.”_

“ _Thank you, I am so sorry for the inconvenience. At least I have a few more clothes in my bag, so it is not very urgent._ ” She said with an apologizing smile. Merilin smiled back with a motherly smile. How old may she be? Not older than her own age, but like Elronds eyes hers looked older than she really seemed to be, and she acted kind of grandmotherly, but also young and the glittering in her eyes spoke from dreams and wishes she was keeping and cherishing.

“ _We can do this later, I does not need to be today. I guess you are hungry for you haven`t eaten anything since a while. There will be breakfast in about two hours. I will sent someone to pick you up_.”

“ _Thank you…Merilin was your name, right? Merilin, is there somewhere …I can wash myself?_ ”

“ _Yes of course”_ She said and rushed to a door Charlotte hadn`t noticed before.

She opened it and explained that this was her bathroom and she could use everything in it. If something is missing she just needed to tell her or one of the other maids. Then she said goodbye and Charlotte was alone.

She got up and walked into the bathroom. Everything was made of marble and alabaster, the floor, the bath tube, the…OMG water tabs!? They have running water in middle earth!? _OMG what a luxury! I have never thought about if there are having water pipes,_ she thought and was very thankful. Half of the tube was already filled with warm water, she undressed herself and just dunked in. The water smelled good and the warm water felt really good. Charlotte washed her hair and everything and judging from the changing water color it was really time for a bath. From the corners of her eyes she noticed a fireplace. _So that`s how I will have to head up the water,_ she thought , for there was only one water tap where just cold water came out.

After a while relaxing she got out of the tube, put a towel around herself and one smaller for the hair and went back to her room to dress. When she opened the wardrobe there were two dresses. Both were made of silk she guessed as she touched it, and even they were simply in design, they were really beautiful and she also liked the purple and blue colors of them but…they didn`t fit. They were too narrow at the hip part and, well,…her breasts were really too big for the upper part, even if they were just normal average, but maybe not for elven measurement.

The other item of clothing was a dark blue knee long jacket-like garment with embroidery and trousers. But it was the same with the trousers as with the dresses. Wearing her pair leggings with the garment would have looked strange in her eyes. so she fumbled her turquois short sleeve blouse out of her rucksack and took her pair fresh washed black skinny jeans.

A few pairs of shoes were placed beside the door as well as here pair of sneakers and her rain jacket hung on a hook above them. Charlotte tried the dark blue pair and was happy they fitted.

“ _Ok, what next?_ ”

She looked around the room and stopped and her rucksack.

“ _Ok let’s see what else I brought here!_ ” But it was nothing spectacular. A package of bubble gum, her cell phone…which got a crack somehow and wasn`t able to be switch on again, ….wonderful……her Ipad was ok but ran out of battery, her solar recharger luckily was ok as well so she connected both items and placed them on the windowsill; blazer, papers and notes from the conference, her sketch book for the drawings together with a few pencils, make-up, car keys, wallet, water bottle and Tupperware…but nothing that was for use at the moment.Perhaps if the ipad was recharged she could get a wifi connection, but recharging would take a few ours, cause her solar recharger was an old one and many excavations with dirt and sand haven`t been got for him but it still worked.

After Charlotte had examined her belongings and put them in the dresser and wardrobe, she decided to inspect her temporary home for she felt it was still a little bit time until breakfast, and went out of the room. A little voice in her expected a guard in front of her door, but there was no one. The colonnade was empty and except a flute noise coming from somewhere, birds and the waterfalls it was very quiet. So she began her stroll and was really happy that she had decided to do so, because the place was just marvelous. Decorated columns and arches, arranged flowers and even some paintings on the wall together with the play of light and shade it was fantastic. Even the view was stunning.

Charlotte leaned over the balustrade. The river flowed beneath her and went down in big and small waterfalls with here and there little rainbows flickering in the sunlight. Cliffs were around the house and if this was really Rivendell she remembered it had to be near the Misty Mountains. So authentic!

While she admired the house and found even more pathways and smaller, other buildings and places (she even found a fountain that looked exactly like in the Hobbit movie which the dwarves had used as a big bath tube), Charlotte went upstairs to continue her sightseeing on the first floor of the big main house and stopped at the first door as he heard voices.She could hear people interrogating inside.

“ _….We heard her scream coming from the river. Then we rushed and saw an orc pack hunting her._ ”

“But what are Orcs doing in ours lands, away from their mountains and holes?” asked Elrond.

“This I do not know, my Lord. We weren`t able to question them nor to search them. The Bruinen washed them away.”

“The Bruinen?” Elrond narrowed his eye brows

“Yes the Bruinen my Lord, we thought you sent the flood as they wanted to cross the border.”

“I didn`t caused the Bruinen so rise. And no other Elf of Rivendell did.” Glorfindels pretty face looked confused. “Could it be the Bruinen itself arose? But that hasn`t happened since ages.”

“I _guess so, because I can not find another explanation. We shall thank the Valar that she was saved. Until we cannot find the true reason, this will not be mentioned. I will talk to Gandalf about it._ ”

“ _Miss Charlotte_?”

Charlotte startled.

A very handsome Elf stood behind her with a questioning face. A glace though the door crack and he did know that she was ears dropping, but said nothing. “My Lady is there something you were searching for?”

“ _Oh no, not really, I was just strolling around. The architecture is really beautiful and behind every corner I find something new._ ” She listened for any noises behind the door, but no one seemed to open the door and caught her in the act. She stepped down the stairs to the elf who took a very big interest in her attire. A little bit too obvious she thought. What else should she wear? The dresses won`t fit her and she only had the others she brought with her. He on the other side looked so noble in this knee-long purple dress with a long brown cape, with small details woven in silver garment and matching knee high boots. He wore a silver tiara on his head that looked like the one Elrond had worn yesterday. And his hair…god, the people here were using a fantastic shampoo. She hoped that it would also work for her hair.

Outstanding of all but were his eyes. Two dark brown marbles with hints of blue looked at her, and she would have stared at him the whole day wouldn`t he have went on with introducing himself. “ _I am Lindir of Rivendell and it`s a pleasure to meet you._ ”

 _“I am Charlotte. Nice to meet you too_.” And she reached out her hand to shake his but nothing happened. In bewilderment Lindir glanced down at her hand and then back at her. Dealing with different cultures Charlotte understood the situation and was a little bit disappointed of herself thou she hadn`t been thinking about it earlier.

“ _Oh, I am sorry, that doesn`t seem to be the way how you people say hello to each other when you first met_.”

“ _No…we….don`t._ ” Eh? Had he just looked disgusted on her hand? Or was it just bewilderment paired with repressed “I don`t know what she is doing and I am confused/ That wasn`t written in the job advertisement”-feeling? She just could guess, but : “ _Ok I see, but I hope someone can teach me the local customs soon…but neverless I feel an urge to cherish mine._ ” And with this she grabbed Lindirs hands and shook his hands extensive.

“ _Mr. Lindir it is a pleasure to meet you,_ ” Charlotte said with a happy and wide smiling face. Now Lindir was really outraged, that she could tell. But she didn`t cared, for she felt less embarrassed as he caught her ears dropping.

“ _However,”_ Lindir said, inside hoping she wouldn`t do anything else strange, and put his hands behind his back, “ _the breakfast is ready and there is someone who wants to speak with you. I shall bring you to the terrace. Please if you would follow me_?”

She was guided by Lindir to a small round area where vine tendrils climbed along the arches and columns. The sun was setting and talking with Elrond, in the golden sun light stood, supported by a wooden staff, with his back facing her, a tall white figure. He was so white that with the sunlight together he seemed to glow. Every inch was white. His hair, his cape, he even everything around him looked hazy.

When he felt her presence he turned slowly around. And what Charlotte saw, she wouldn`t have expected it in her wildest dreams. Overwhelmed and Stunned by the strength, hope, knowledge, wisdom and everything that this man presented and radiated, seven little letters slipped over Charlotte’s lips:

“Gandalf.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> still searching for beta readers :D if you find very bad grammar mistake please tell me and i will correct it. 
> 
> I think you all already know who will be the star in the next chapter :D but also someone else will enter the stage. Next is "Unexpected encounters"


	4. Chapter 4 Unexpected Encounters

**Chapter 4 (Unexpected Encounters)**

“ _Gandalf._ ”

This can`t be true. No no no this can`t be true. Charlotte nearly felt like crying. If she still has had doubts, they had been gone. This was Gandalf. So truly Gandalf as one can be. No one else was so gandalfish but him. He was one of the Maiar and she felt it.

His grey-blue eyes focused her. He was surprised that she knew his name, but not less surprised than she seeing him.

“ _Good Morning Miss Charlotte. I am, as you already assumed, Gandalf_.”

“ _Yeah…I am…I am_ ” suddenly searching for words. This was Gandalf standing in front of her! Holy shit! “ _My name is Charlotte Lancaster …ehm…Mister…Gandalf. It is a pleasure to meet you._ ” She said with amazement in her eyes and voice. Suddenly she felt like a child again, looking up to the great whit wizard and thinking about who he was and how he cared about middle earth. He looked a lot like in the movies, but different. All the words in the world could not describe how….engaging and and omnipresent the charisma of a Maiar can be.

“ _It is a pleasure to meet you as well_ ” and he smiled “ _Lord Elrond informed me about your arrival. There are things we need to discuss and maybe to prepare. You know where you are?_ ”

“ _Yeh, I think I know…well I don`t believe it. I really don`t know how I should have come to Middle Earth.....or Rivendell_.”

“ _I am still curious if you really don`t know how you came here. Also I have never heard of this Canterburry or England Lord Erond told be about. It is very doubtful for me how you shall know my name if you have never been in Arda before, Miss Charlotte_ ”

“ _I also don`t know how I stumbled into Middle Earth. For me this is just a dream and the hows and whereabouts don`t really need to be clarified. But_ …”

“Yes Miss Charlotte?”

“ _But I can prove that I am not from Middle Earth. Where I am from all this here_ ” and she spread her arms “ _is just a story, a fantasy story, and in this story you and a few others are well known characters._ ”

Lindir and Elrond looked at each other curiously.

“ _And how it goes with stories you learn a lot about the characters backgrounds etc._ ”

Gandalfs smile vanished and his interest grew noticeably.

“ _And….for that….I do not only know every little thing that happened during the War of the Ring and about Frodo_ ” Now she got everyone`s undivided attention. “ _But I also know your real name and that of the other four wizards…well I guess now THREE other wizards._ ” And she approached him, Gandalf leaned forward, while Charlotte spoke “Olorin” into his ear.

Gandalfs eyes widened. “ _How do you know this name?_ ”

“ _As I told you, this is a story book! A lot of people know your real name!_ ”

“ _So she really knows your real name, Mithrandir?_ ” Elrond asked and walked beside him, looking very concerned. “ _Then these are bad news_.”

“ _News indeed Lord Elrond, but bad or not we will have to decide later. A council must be held and the others need to know about our visitor. Strange times may come_.”

 _“I will sent a Messenger to the others. The gathering shall be soon_ ” Elrond said and walked swiftly away.

“ _W…What…Wait a second! I AM not the one that has to convince you that I am not from here! YOU are all just actors acting crazy and my brain nearly believed it_!” Charlotte yelled. Dream or no dream, coma or no coma, she needed to get out of here, otherwise she would get insane. Maybe that was the tactic of those people. Insisting to really be in Middle Earth and than catch the poor victim, and doing social experiments with them!! Maybe there were cameras somewhere! She looked around her and made a few steps back, suddenly afraid of all the thought beginning to bubble up in her mind.

“ _Miss Charlotte, there is no need to be afraid_ ” said Gandalf in his grandfatherly voice and Lindir put a hand on her shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile. “ _It is not easy for me, but I do believe you. As far as I now know and can see, you are not from this world, and I do not know how you got here. But I can tell you, you are not the only one_.”

“ _What do you mean I am not the only one_?”

Gandalf looked behind her “ _Miss Charlotte I have to introduce you to someone_.” And with his words a man joint the meeting. Charlotte turned around and saw a man wearing clothes like an Elf, but his face was that of a mid-aged man, and he wasn`t having pointy ears. He was a human.

“ _Miss Charlotte, may I introduce you to Mister Laertúlion, or as his real name is, Peter_ ”

“ _Hello and nice to meet you Miss Charlotte_ ” said Peter and shook her hand. “ _I see you are surprised as I to see someone from the other world…our world…well, Earth._ ”

“Y _ou are from Earth…as well?...But you look so…elvish_.” Peter chuckled “ _Yes I am, and I can understand very well how you must feel. I went to the same…geographic….problems. Let`s take a seat and I will answer all the questions written on your face._ ”

The group sat down at a nearby small table and some other elves served tea. “ _Oh camomille_ ” said Gandalf “ _my favourite to calm one`s nerves._ ”

“ _Your name is Charlotte, isn`t it?_ ”

She nodded. “ _My name is Charlotte Lancaster and I am from Canterburry_.”

“ _OH England! That’s fantastic! A comrade! I am from London_.” Peter said happy.

“ _You`re from England as well? How is that possible? I thought this is my dream. How did you end up here_?”

“ _That is a short story. I was in Switzerland climbing when the weather changed suddenly and somehow I got lost. Very lost!”_ he laughed “ _I stumbled direct at the gate of Rivendell and believe me I was not less surprised and in disbelieve like you. I even ran away! But after a few days without a sign of civilization I accepted my fate and went back. Thankfully the Elves weren`t too angry with me_ ” he said to Elrond who returned and joined the tea party.

“ _He was very confused_ ” Elrond said and drank his tea.

“ _And since then I journeyed around Middle Earth a bit and I can really tell you: This is NOT Switzerland_ ” he said laughing.

“ _How long have you been here?_ ”

“ _Oh quite a while. But I`m in a good condition, ain`t I_?” and winked at her. “ _But I am married to the most wonderful Elleth you will ever meet. Elven magic is always very supporting. I can introduce you later to each other. But, to answer your question, I am here since a little bit over 100 years._ ”

“ _WHAT!! How is that possible? You came to middle earth when the first world war was happening?! OMG_ ”

“ _Oh nonono_ ” Peter waved a hand as if to shoo this thought away “ _I came here in the 1970’s. I guess you must be really farfar away from the future. Do they already make the cars fly?"_

“ _What?....Eh no, not….yet. But counting from the 70’s I am not from hundreds of years in the future. It is 2015_.”

“ _2015! Then time really flows different in each others realms. But I guess a lot still has happened in the last decades, hasn`t it?_ ”

“ _It…has._ ” Charlotte answered. Her thoughts running wild in her head. “ _So that means you haven`t found a way back…_ ” she said in a low voice. Sadness and the before upraised anger began to dwell up again.

“ _I think it is better when we find out as fast as we can why the Valar have sent you_ ” Gandalf throw in. “ _Concerning Peter his task was it to help us against the uprising dark cults near Ithilien, and the others before assisted us in previous wars and disturbances_.”

“ _Did you just said “the OTHERS_ ”

“ _Yes Miss Charlotte, you two are not the first although it is not common and happens very seldom. You two are now the only one`s. To much time has past since then_.”

“ _So you tell me this is really happening? I am not sleeping? And I was not just kidnapped and brought to a lonely mountain village somewhere in Europe with crazy Larp-people playing 24/7?_ ”

“ _I don`t know what Larp means but no. This is not Europe and you were not kidnapped._ ” Lindir glanced at him a little bit angry, noticing that he missed something in his negation. “ _Oh and they are not crazy_ ” Peter added with a smile. “d _efinitely not! You will gonna learn a lot from them_.”

Charlotte started to feel restless. This couldn`t be! Where in the whole universe was she and how should she have been transported so fast to another distant world? She supported her head with her arm and put her other hand over her eyes. She couldn`t find another explanation than this is real, and she really was in middle earth.

“ _We are still clueless how knowledge about our world came to your world. From the one`s before we know that our world is a well known story but the knowledge about it is limited_ ” Elrond began “ _I assume, for you identified Gandalf on your own and other things are also known to you, you also knew a lot about our world and maybe more_ ” Elrond looked her straight in the eyes ” _Therefore this may be a danger for us as well for you and I would advise you to keep it save. Here in Rivendell nothing will happen to you and to most of the elves living here you will be just introduce to be from the far northern lands….just to explain your strange attire and manners_.”

“ _I am not strange_ ” Charlotte defended herself “ _I am high educated!_ “ Lindir nearly choked on his tea. How could this loud woman be well educated? “ _But I understand that here and there are differences and I will do my best not to cause a sensation_.”

Charlotte stood up and began to pace up and down. “ _So..t hen that means…this is real_?”

Peter nodded. “ _You will get used to it very soon_.” OMG I am really in middle earth, she thought and looked first at Gandalf than to Elrond. “ _I`m really in Riven…dell?_ ” Charlotte said, slowly realizing.

Her heartbeat began to ran a marathon and she suddenly felt very hot and all the fresh air around her just couldn`t erase the feeling for needing air.

” _Rivendell?....THAT RIVENDELL? just wait, wait a second, the house of ELROND?! Oh my god, then you`re all ….REAL_.” she screamed and hold her head.

“ _This is REAL!_!”

….and fainted.

Lindir catched her and sat her back on her chair. Elrond called for Merilin and smelling salt but Gandalf suggested to let her rest for a while. Lindir carried her then to her room while the others stuck their heads together. So another human from another world appeared in Arda. This could only mean that change was near and the Valar sent again someone to help. As if the couldn`t handle it on their own, thought Lindir. This mortal human…and in particular a young woman. What was Illuvatar thinking?

In her room he laid her on the bed, sat down watched her face. He put a hair strand behind her ears. Her skin was so white and soft, Lindir was wondering what her profession was and how she lived in her world. As he could remember from Laertúlion`s stories it was very different from middle earth and there were humans alone. But how could this vulnerable girl be a precursor for bad events? How how could she be helpful in a upcoming war?

The sun shone through the window and softened her facial features. The calm before the storm. Lindir signed and left the room. Answers will be given soon.

*********************************

The late evening sun was already setting low when Charlotte woke up and took a walk in Rivendell. Her head was a mess. Too much new information, events and different situation to cope with for a day.

The sun set calmed her a little bit down with it`s warm light. A few other elves were also taking a walk. She saw couples in their lovey-dovey, a little bit downstairs people working in the gardens, near the river were a few elves taking care of their horses…all together it was a very peaceful place. Laughter could be heard and between the trees surrounding Rivendell elv maiden were dancing and chatting. She really could imagine why good old Bilbo liked Rivendell so much.

As she stood at the stone railings Gandalf approached her and stood by her side watching the light fade behind the mountains. Charlotte hope he wouldn`t involve her in more interrogations until the council was held. She first needed answers and time for herself.

She watched the river flowing by and thought about how long it may have took the river to carve this valley into the mountain side. Charlotte took a deep breath and listened to it.

“ _The water of the Bruinnen, can you hear it_?” she asked Gandalf, “ _It sounds like music, like a rhyme, flowing through glittering nights around stones shining in the moon light. Like a song waving with it`s notes. It´s so homely and calms me down_.”

Gandalf looked at her with amusement. “ _You are not the first calling Rivendell a homely place. An old friend of mine said this as well. But you are the first human I get to know, being deeply touched by a river, as far as I know_ ” he chuckled.

And Charlotte was touched, deeply touched by the rivers music. Hadn`t Gandalf said it before, she wouldn`t have been able to explain or verbalise this feeling. But she really was captured by it`s sound, and made her feel secure. “ _Speaking of, is Bilbo here? Is he still in Rivendell_ ” She said with rising excitement.

“ _No, he isn`t”_ Gandalf said slowly, realizing that she new his "old friend".

“W _hy, what happened?_ ”

“ _Age happened to him. And he went into the west with Frodo for a couple of decades._ ”

That surprised Charlotte. Weren`t they not supposed to go all together into the west? And she told Gandalf her thoughts and what was written in books.

“ _It seems to me, Miss Charlotte, that not all written in your Lord of the Rings story corresponds with the truth. As far as you told me this Mr. Tolkien wrote very accurate about our history until the War of the Ring ended. I would guess, that everything after those events had just one purpose: a happy end_.”

“ _Well If I think about it…that could be, because he wrote more about the past than the future. A few things are mentioned to happen in the fourth age but_ ”

And Gandalf interrupted her. “ _Those are things I don`t want to know and you shouldn`t tell anybody. Your precise knowledge of the past ages attracted already too much attention. I guess we live in the present now, what was future once, and that’s why he couldn`t write about it even if he wanted to._ ”

“ _well…he died_ ” Charlotte said plain, not very satisfied with Gandalfs explanation, but in a strange way what he told her sounded right. If it wouldn`t be like Gandalf said, she could have ended up in middle earth during the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, or even worse, the War or Wrath. Even if she liked disaster movies, to be in one and having the Thangorodrim blasted up in your back….definitly no!

“ _Gandalf, I am sorry if it sounds strange, but what year do we have? I think I asked Elrond after I awoke, but all I really heard in my excitement was “Fourth Age” and I was just happy to realize that I arrived when the War was over and didn`t cared afterwards_.”

“ _It is the year 180 of the Fourth Age_.”

“180, 180…” Charlotte murmured. 180. Tolkien didn`t write much about the fourth age… maybe because of Gandalfs suspected reasons. But what had all happened in the Fourth Age so far? Charlotte rummaged in her head and started to pace up and down, Gandalf watched her, giving her time to think while he smoked his pipe, but watched her carefully.

Then she cringed suddenly, realizing what HAD already happened. Could it be? Oh no no no that can`t have had already happen. Gandalf looked more than surprised and her startled face. Charlotte looked around if anybody was near them, sat down and focused him: “ _Please, tell me, I have to know that and I can`t ask anyone except you_.”

Gandalf eyes scanned her expression. She looked curious and worried at the same time. “ _Just ask, if it doesn`t concern the future._ ”

“I don`t know…But I will asked for it in an indirect way as I wanted to actually.” Gandalf nodded. She bend over and whispered “ _Why…why is Elrond looking so sad?_ ” and Gandalfs eyes widen, knowing what she wanted to ask. With sad eyes and sorrow in his voice he began the story: “ _It was one year after King Elessar, High King of the Reunited Kingdom died, that Arwen Undomiel went to the place where they first met. In Lorien, with a broken heart she laid down at Cerin Amroth, and she was buried there. Wanting to see his Grandson Eldarion, now King on behalf of his father, become a fair and good King, Elrond stayed in Middle earth to aid him. But time has come and we all will sail into the west soon. The Age of Men had begun and the Elves will return to Undying Lands_. ”

“ _So that’s why he looks so sad. Arwen had already died_.” And she bowed her head for a silent prayer. “ _And times are changing and beloved one`s disappear_.”

“ _They do my dear, they do”_ said Gandalf leaning on his staff and watching the sun disappear behind the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally chapter 4. This took me a while.  
> hope you like the upcoming little romance between Lindir and Charlotte :) 
> 
> and finally in this chapter Peter appeared. His elvish name is constructed to mark the time of his arrival. Laer means Autumn, and túliel is the patricip perfect activ of "arrived", ion is just the male name-ending. 
> 
> Next is: The Council :) lots of familiar characters will appear 
> 
> still searching for a beta reader :)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everybody, this is my first attempt to write a fanfic. english is not my native tongue and i dont have a beta reader so please be patient. beta readers are welcome and people that help me to get rid of my grammar mistakes as well :) 
> 
> the canonical events may have changed a little bit to fit into the story. but it is nothing so major important. i just stretched the departure into the west for about a couple of decades.


End file.
